Doris J. Riley

Born on November 1, 1923, in Kokomo, Indiana, Doris was the eldest daughter of Roland and Mable (Aldrich) Hunter. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved sisters Virginia Murphy and Phyllis Butcher, her son Tom, and her life’s love Bob (Emmett) Riley.

Her early life was shaped by strength and service—working as a licensed welder building lifeboats during WWII in support of the war effort. It was during those war years that Doris’ remarkable love story began. She met Robert E. Riley, the love of her life, at a drugstore soda fountain while he was in flight training at the Air Force base in Peru, Indiana. They shared their first date on Christmas Eve, watching Moonlight Serenade. Despite fearing she might never see him again, Bob returned to Kokomo, asked for her hand, and they were married on August 16, 1944. That very night, they took a train to New York City before he was shipped overseas to serve in Bari, Italy.

While Bob was away at war, Doris lived in Waltham, Massachusetts, with his mother Sarah and sisters Evelyn and Arleen, where she became an integral part of the Riley family. It was a time filled with Irish laughter, love, and resilience.

Doris and Bob raised three children—Bob, Karen, and Tom—through a life that spanned twelve moves across the country due to Bob's career with Shell Oil. From Waltham to Houston, with stops in Manchester NH, New Haven Ct, Wethersfield Ct., Columbus OH, Milwaukee Wi, Ridgefield Ct. and Atlanta GA, each transition was flawlessly orchestrated by Doris. She made every house a warm, welcoming home. She was a woman of remarkable talents and grace: a first alto with both the Hartford Symphony under Fritz Mahler and the Columbus Symphony under Evon Wahlin; a dedicated breeder and exhibitor of Champion Cairn Terriers and proud member of the Cairn Terrier Club of America and the AKC; an avid seamstress, ballroom dancer (well into her 90s); a passionate tutor for first-grade reading; and a community-minded woman and member of the NW Memorial Republican Women’s Club.

Doris didn’t learn to drive until she was 35—but she made up for lost time, driving herself well into her 90s. She never missed a family milestone: graduations, dance recitals, ball games, weddings, First Communions, trips to Disney World and Six Flags. She was always present, always involved, always giving.

She was the heartbeat of the family—an avid letter writer who never forgot a birthday, kept everyone connected, and made every relative feel like the most important person in the world.

Doris is survived by her children, Bob and Karen, nine grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren, each of whom carries a piece of her strength, wit, and boundless love.

To know Doris was to be uplifted by her energy, warmed by her presence, and strengthened by her enduring love. She lived a century of remarkable grace—and her legacy will echo through generations. "The bond that kept us all in touch"